Barque: Thomas Moore's Work

Projects and books by contemporary American writer of A Religion of One's Own, Gospel: The Book of Matthew, Care of the Soul.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Column about growth through grief now online

Thomas Moore's column in Spiritualty and Health's January - February 2007 issue, Growing Through Grief, may be read online after free registration with the site. Moore talks about differences between soulful and spiritual approaches to the loss of loved ones, with examples of loss through death. His comments are also applicable to accepting, through imagining, other kinds of loss, such as those of friendship, intimacy, or love:

"Maybe the soul enlarges and deepens from the sheer room it takes to be sad and to nurse precious memories. Maybe it even makes sense for us to talk to our departed friends and somehow to keep up the relationships, without any bother from the intellect about how such a thing may or may not work or whether it's sentimental or self-deceptive."

Moore emphasizes a theme found in Dark Nights of the Soul: "You let life flow through you, making you more and more human."

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Dogs shouldn't be pegged with infidelity tag

For Beliefnet, Thomas Moore answers a question about betrayal and suggests the reader take "a more complex emotional position" when responding to her boyfriend’s actions. In his answer, Moore says,

"Don’t split the betrayer/betrayed pattern into you on one side, your partner on the other. Realize that you, too, could betray someone one day because of your passion or plans or because you can’t see any other way. Having a more complex emotional position like this can really help.

If, after all this, you discover that the particular person you’re with seems to have no interest in loyalty and faithfulness, be strong and find someone who is more mature and more prepared to settle into a lasting union. Wait for the kind of person you want. But while you wait, work on your life. Make it more interesting so that people will need some security from you and will be motivated to share the emotional power with you."

Dogs are known for their loyalty so it may be a misnomer for people who stray.

"A soul mate is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communicating and communing that take place between us were not the product of intentional efforts, but rather a divine grace."— Thomas Moore

Why Barque: Thomas Moore?

"What I'm trying to do is say lighten up and let life flow through you, and be on the waves as they go up and down. For me, a great image in mythology is
Tristan of Tristan and Isolde. He's out there on a little boat without an oar, without a rudder, on the Irish sea . . . You float your way. You drift. The essence
of my approach is to be extravagantly accepting and forgiving of yourself and others. Ride the waves and let life take you where it has good things for you." - Thomas Moore